Leather Bound Book
by Kiyami
Summary: 10 years after everyone leaves Seigaku, an accident causes Fuji to die. Tezuka is then given Fuji's personal diaries and scrapbooks by Yuuta. He relives the memories left behind by Fuji and sets out to fulfill Fuji's final wishes. TezuFuji
1. Death

**Leather Bound Book**

**Kiyami: Originally this was intended to be for Inuyasha. I got into TeniPuri before I could write it though. This is a tribute fanfic to the Prince of Tennis and all the joys it has brought me. I love you, TeniPuri, I seriously do.**

**Disclaimers: I do not own The Prince of Tennis. If I did then there would be a whole series revolving around chibi episodes.

* * *

**

_Dear Diary,_

_I'm very happy today. Today's my happiest day ever. Today I kissed Kunimitsu

* * *

_

"He was a loving son and brother. He was a caring friend. Everyone could be charmed by what he did. He was an amazing tennis player and photographer. He was a one-of-a-kind type of person. Fuji Syuusuke will always be remembered." The man stopped. The only sounds present were that of the birds and the sounds of weeping.

_How had it happened?_ Tezuka thought to himself_. How had he died? He was still so young. _

"Fuji…" Oishi embraced the crying Kikumaru.

Everyone was here. Literally.

From tennis players Fuji had faced in his younger years to the distant blood relatives. They were all here, clustered around the hole meant for Fuji Syuusuke.

"Aniki!" Yuuta sobbed and ran up to the white coffin. He hugged the cold wood and cried. This action brought a new wave of sadness from the other attendants to the funeral. A familiar tennis player went up next to Yuuta and comforted him. Even Mizuki's curls seemed more limp then before.

Tezuka felt strange as he watched the people tear Yuuta away from his brother's coffin. Yuuta shouted and tried to break free of their grasp. It was so strange that only a month before he had seen both Fuji and Yuuta smiling so happily.

_How had it happened? How had his life been taken away?

* * *

_

Like the rest of the club, Tezuka had gone on with his solitary path. After high school everyone left to pursue their own dreams. There were few who had chosen to go down the same road as he did. Echizen Ryoma, Atobe Keigo, and Sanada Geiichirou were some of the few who had decided to lead the life of a professional tennis player.

Tezuka saw a lot of Momoshiro too who had become a sports commentator. Momoshiro often guest-starred on food shows as a judge for food. He really did enjoy his job.

Fuji and Tezuka met a lot before his death. Fuji started to work for a sports magazine as a photographer and columnist. The small inch sized photo of Fuji placed in a little corner of the page was enough to rake in a female audience. Fuji was good at what he did.

One day Fuji was driving towards the city from the country. He had been in the countryside to take pictures of the scenery. They were for his private collection of photos that he kept in a special photo album.

A heavy storm came while Fuji was driving. At one particular curve Fuji had veered off the road. Tezuka had been told the death was near instant. No one could have survived the long fall from up high on that mountain towards the base.

Momoshiro was the first to know. Fuji had been going to the city for a sports event with Momo. News traveled fast after that.

Tezuka was a spectator in a tennis match when he had been called on his cellphone. It was Oishi who called since everyone knew the special bond that Tezuka and Fuji shared during their high school days. They knew Oishi would be best to break the news to Tezuka.

* * *

**+ Flashback +**

"Thirty love! Echizen lead!" The man perched on the high chair announced into a microphone.

Tezuka watched in his seat as his former kouhai played. Normally Tezuka wouldn't have the time to watch such a match. He had work to do in the air conditioned building he was employed at. This game was special though. If Echizen won this then it would be the first tournament he would ever win.

Ryoma was dominating the game with his impressive skills. The audience was in awe at the sight of the young and unknown tennis player. He was doing especially well against the winner of last year's tournament.

The cellphone rang. It was a soft, monotonous drone since Tezuka found the happy, little tunes to be unnecessary.

"Hello?"

"Ah…uh Tezuka?" The voice belonged to the former fukubuchou.

"Yes?"

"…It's about Fuji."

Tezuka sighed thinking that Fuji had done something particularly evil again. The sound of Oishi's voice worried him though.

"What happened?" Tezuka's eyes were still on the tennis game, but it would end soon.

"Well..Uh…Fuji…Ano…Tezuka…" Oishi sighed. "Fuji…He died."

Tezuka didn't realize what he had just heard until several long moments. He realized what Oishi said. He realized the sounds of crying in the background, something he hadn't deemed unusual. Tezuka didn't know how to feel at that moment because frankly he didn't know how.

"Tezuka?" Oishi's voice was beginning to waver. "Are you alright?"

"Thank you, Oishi. I have to go now." Tezuka calmly replied, but inside his mind was in a frenzy. This couldn't be true. It was a lie, a prank. Tezuka turned off his cellphone, which cut off Oishi.

Tezuka wanted to deny that Fuji was dead, but he knew that it was true. No one would lie about that especially Oishi.

The sounds of the crowd cheering snapped Tezuka out of his shocked state. Feelings of sadness slammed onto him as he realized that something he cared for so much was gone. Gone just like that.

"Echizen Ryoma, winner!" Someone announced.

The words meant nothing to Tezuka's ears.

The words meant nothing to Ryoma's ears.

Ryoma smiled smugly to the camera while holding a trophy in his hand. He was still short with the reporters towering over him. The happiness and satisfaction of winning soon washed away. Echizen turned to the sound of a familiar voice as one finger pulled on the tab of his grape Ponta.

"Echizen."

"Oh? Tezuka-bu…Tezuka?" Ryoma had to stop himself from adding buchou. It felt weird just calling him Tezuka.

"Come here, I need to speak to you." Tezuka was surprised at how calm and composed he was. A great tragedy had happened and here he was acting as he usually did.

"Sure." Echizen was glad to get away from the flashing cameras. The media followed anyway, eager to learn of the connection between the former pro tennis player and the current tournament winner.

Tezuka glared at the media. It was enough to gain some distance away from them. He sighed and wondered how he would tell Echizen. This was supposed to be a happy occasion for him, right? But he had to tell Echizen. He had a right to know.

"Echizen…" Tezuka started and placed a hand on his former kouhai's shoulder. Photographers captured this moment with a sudden flashing of lights. Fuji would have too…

"What is it?" Ryoma sipped at his drink while wiping away the sweat gleaming on his forehead with a green towel.

"Fuji…He's dead." Tezuka stated, but he failed in trying to let it down nicely. The words came out sounding cold and blunt. He hated himself for that. Unlike Fuji he could never sound friendly and comforting. He was truly an icicle.

Echizen gasped and his limbs went limp. The grape Ponta fell to the ground and splashed their shoes with the sticky substance. His red tennis racket clattered to the ground. His eyes were wide with shock since he had processed the information at a faster rate.

The media surged forward when they saw the expression on the star player's face. They started to interrogate them, but Ryoma ignored everything.

Their words were meaningless to his ears.

* * *

The ceremony ended with much grief. Those who had come to pay their respects left as soon as it was done. Some stayed behind, as if Fuji would just pop out of his coffin to say it was only a cruel prank he had played. 

Tezuka felt his disgust at himself grow. Even here he could not let go. Throughout the ceremony he had been the only one with dry eyes. Emotionlessly he had watched as people placed flowers on the white coffin, one by one.

The former Seigaku captain stepped towards the coffin, they were going to put the coffin inside the hole once everyone left, and placed his flower on it. He hadn't gone up when the rest of the former regulars were placing their's.

Gently he touched the painted wood. Beneath the wood would be Fuji, dead. He would be a cold, lifeless corpse and there was nothing Tezuka could do about it. Dead…

"Tezuka-san?" Someone called out to his name.

Tezuka turned around to see none other then the brother standing there. Yuuta's eyes were red and puffy from crying. Next to him was Mizuki who stared mournfully at the casket. He had never defeated Fuji and the same went for Yuuta.

"Yuuta." Tezuka addressed the younger man. Yuuta hadn't changed much. His voice may have gotten a little deeper, but he looked the same.

"I think aniki would like it if you had these." Yuuta presented a cardboard box to Tezuka.

Tezuka took the box and looked down at what was in it. Inside were thick, and large leather-bound books. Most of them were a light bluish color with Fuji's full name imprinted on it in silver.

"They're his old diaries, scrapbooks, and photo albums. I think you should have them." Yuuta continued.

"Thank you, I really appreciate it."

"I have to go now, Tezuka-san. Take care." Yuuta attempted at sounding cheerful, but failed miserably. He bit back a sob. Slowly he headed for the exit with Mizuki.

* * *

Tezuka arrived in his large apartment. He dropped the box by his couch. Tezuka prepared for himself a cup of tea and grabbed the first book to look through. 

It was a diary and the first page he flipped to had a small entry in it.

* * *

_Dear Diary,_

_I'm very happy today. Today's my happiest day ever. Today I kissed Kunimitsu

* * *

_

**Kiyami: Saa, continue? I didn't like how this turned out. I'm going to go back and rewrite it sometime later. I felt I explained too much. Read and review please! **


	2. Fuji's Memories

**Leather Bound Book**

**Fuji's Memories**

**  
Kiyami:I was surprised by the feedback. Thank you! This storyline has been inside my head for so long I just need to get it out. Saa, don't worry. I don't intend it to be so incredibly sad. Fuji has happy and funny memories too you know.**

**A real plot is coming up. Until then…Beware my perverted sense of humor and Tezuka angst. **

** -word- Means that it was drawn so -heart- means he drew a heart.**

**_Italics mean thoughts or diary entries._**

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Prince of Tennis.**

* * *

Tezuka frowned at the words hurriedly scribbled onto the page. He preferred not to remember that particular memory. He pushed that thought away. 

Slowly Tezuka flipped through the crisp, white pages. His eyes skimmed the pages. In some way he felt wrong for going through Fuji's stuff. These books contained Fuji's private thoughts. Fuji who had always been a mystery to everyone.

He stopped at one page where the page had ripped in several places. Fuji's usually clean and neat handwriting had become messy and forced. The blue pen had been pressed far too hard into the delicate paper, which had caused the rips.

Words had been crossed out and some words were smudged. The wrinkled texture showed that some form of liquid had fallen onto its pages.

* * *

_Dear Diary,_

_I can't believe it! Yuuta! Yuuta's going away! He came home today and talked to kaasan about going to a different school. Kaasan agreed to it, but I tried to get her to say no. She said that we should do what's best for Yuuta. She's letting him go far away!_

_How is it better for Yuuta? He'll be in a new school with strangers. Strangers who could…who could do bad stuff to him! Worst of all I won't be there to protect him from the mean, scary people! Yuuta will get lonely too without me to keep him company._

_Grr! He says he's leaving on Saturday. I think I might have to resort to using the handcuffs again!_

* * *

Tezuka stared blankly at the page. That…was odd. 

Next to the entry was a picture stuck deep into the binding. Carefully Tezuka pulled the photo out and examined it. The photograph had probably been taken the day Yuuta left for

There was only one person in the world who could scare Tezuka and that was Fuji Syuusuke. The photograph was proof enough.

The picture has been taken in a rush. The blurriness showed that Fuji had jerked his hand away for some reason. The focus of the picture was Yuuta. He was inside of Fuji's closet that contained many items Tezuka did not even want to think about.

Yuuta had been bound and gagged. His hands were behind his back with shiny handcuffs keeping them there. A white cloth had been tied around his mouth and rope kept his ankles pressed together. His face expressed the anger and humiliation he was feeling.

In the right side of the photo was a feminine figure. Tezuka guessed it was their older sister, Yumiko. She was moving towards Yuuta.

_…What type of brother does that sort of thing then take pictures of it? _Tezuka tried to shake away his thoughts. It was better not to question Fuji. The motives behind what Fuji did were always unclear.

Tezuka continued on with reading Fuji's diary. He read the page after that.

* * *

_Dear Diary,_

_Well that was unsuccessful. I hid Yuuta in my closet last night so no one would be able to find him in the morning. I had some fun tying him up, gently of course!_

_I took a picture of it in the morning, but Yumiko came into my room just at that moment. I got scolded for practicing bondage on Yuuta and preventing him from going to the strange school._

_I was sad today. I smiled though because I wanted Yuuta to remember home with my smile. I gave him one of my cacti. Yumiko did a tarot card reading for him. I got angry because it said that a new love waited for Yuuta. No one else deserves Yuuta. Yuuta's…Yuuta's too special for just anyone._

_I hope Yuuta doesn't mind what I wrote on him. I used permanent marker to write stuff. I took a picture, see? Yuuta really does have a nice tummy._

* * *

Tezuka stopped for a moment to glance at the picture. It was imbedded right next to one depicting Yuuta bound and gagged in Fuji's closet. 

The picture was really two photographs. They were of smaller size and taped to a plain white index card. The first one show Yuuta's tummy with the words 'I –heart- my aniki' in black permanent marker. The second one was of Yuuta's backside. This side had the words 'Property of Fuji Syuusuke.'

So Tezuka wasn't the only one to be claimed by Fuji. It gave Tezuka some reassurance that he wasn't the only one to be humiliated, but he felt a pang of jealousy.

His eyes wandered to the electric clock on his desk. It was nearly eleven, time to go to sleep. He had work tomorrow.

* * *

Tezuka arrived at work at the same exact time as usual. He arrived precisely ten minutes before work started for him. The extra minutes gave him time to organize his desk. 

He opened his suitcase only to find one of the thinner Fuji scrapbooks piled in with the folders thickened with papers. Curiously he took it and stared at the cover.

The cover, like the others, was the light blue color with Fuji's name in silver. This one was strange though. For some reason it had his name written below Fuji's. Why would his name be on Fuji's scrapbook?

His questions were soon answered when he opened the book.

The first picture on the first page had him changing. His shirt was off and he was grabbing the neatly folded Seigaku jersey. Some of the other regulars were changing in the background too. Below it read:

**Tezuka Kunimitsu, my one true love. –Heart-Heart-Heart-**

The second one was of him playing tennis. This caption said:

**Do you see him? I really love it when he has that hot and sweaty look. I wish Kunimitsu and I were somewhere private right now…**

Tezuka didn't want to ponder on that one too much. So that feeling of being watch wasn't false after all.

Other pictures included Tezuka in class. Tezuka wondered how Fuji ever got them since one had been taken outside through a window. Looking at the teacher Tezuka knew he had to be at least on the second floor.

The last one on that page made Tezuka really think about Fuji's capabilities. Tezuka was just stepping out of the bathroom from a shower. His hair stuck to his head from being soaked and there was only a towel to cover his private areas. What was even stranger about the picture was that Tezuka was staring directly towards the lens. Tezuka could never recall seeing Fuji in a situation like that.

"Tezuka-kun…" A voice called.

_Uh oh._

That voice belonged to his boss. The voice seemed to be coming from right behind.

"Sazuki-san!" Tezuka turned around.

"Tezuka-kun, why are you looking at naked pictures of yourself when you should have been working oh…ten minutes ago." Sazuki grinned.

"Sumimasen. I won't do it again." Tezuka bowed while muttering the apology.

"Now get back to work. Oh and if you don't mind I'll be confiscating this." The boss, who was only say ten years older then Tezuka, grabbed the last picture Tezuka was looking at.

It was the picture of Tezuka just stepping out of the bathroom, wet and nearly naked.

Tezuka started to get to his work, but he was deeply disturbed by what had just taken place. If Fuji was still alive Tezuka would surely have punished the tensai for even creating such a book.

* * *

Oishi and Kikumaru came over the next day. Oishi had his first day off in months. He had become a veterinarian in a small animal hospital. They were usually short on veterinarians so Oishi had to be at work a lot. Kikumaru got a job close to Oishi's. Kikumaru became a pet groomer. He was still inexperienced in grooming pets, but had earned a name for himself with his strange and different style. He was beginning to learn how to professionally handle dogs. Kikumaru wanted to be in a dog show. 

Tezuka had been very careful with where he placed his box full of Fuji's belongings. The last thing he wanted was Kikumaru going through them and seeing all the "I love Kunimitsu" scrawls everywhere. Unfortunately Eiji had found the box and nosily dug through them.

"Unya! Hoi what's this Tezuka?" Eiji lifted up the thickest photo album.

Tezuka sighed. "It's Fuji's photo album."

"Really?" Kikumaru sat down on the couch and eagerly began to flip through the pages.

"Now, Eiji, be careful." Oishi warned.

"Don't worry!" Eiji reassured with a wave of his hand. "Look at this!"

Kikumaru pointed at a picture of when they were all in middle school. Most of them smiled in the photo. Tezuka and Kaidoh were the only ones who didn't manage to smile. Kaidoh gave his usual glare at the camera while Tezuka's face was bare of any emotion.

Kikumaru laughed. "Look at Kaidoh! He looks so grumpy! Nya, Tezuka never smiles. You're such an icicle." Eiji commented.

Tezuka felt that disgust at himself rise again. Why couldn't he be like everyone else? Why was he emotionally lacking? If he could express them more easily then he could have cried with the rest of them during Fuji's funeral. He could have cried and showed to Fuji that he really did care.

But no, he was an icicle. An icicle that never melted.

"Tezuka, Tezuka?" Oishi tapped him on the shoulder to bring Tezuka out of his thinking state.

"Hn?"

"Are you alright? I mean…Fuji." Oishi looked concerned.

"I'm fine." Tezuka muttered.

Oishi worriedly stared. Kikumaru took no notice since he was amusing himself with the pictures of his younger days. In appearance and personality Kikumaru Eiji hadn't changed at all. Oishi was still the same worrisome person, but his two strands of hair were lost among the hair when more strands grew alongside them.

* * *

The former Golden Pair left Tezuka's quiet apartment. Silence reigned in his home. He lived alone with nothing to give him company. He didn't even have any pets. 

He sat down on the couch with the usual cup of tea in his hand. Next to him was the photo album Kikumaru was going through. Tezuka grabbed the remote control and turned on the TV. He switched the channel to the local news.

"And now to Kazuo-san with sports." The pretty anchorwoman said.

"Thank you, Masaka-san. Well last night Echizen Ryoma won the Charity Tennis Tournament…"

The image of the nicely dressed man switched to Echizen on the ground, breathing heavily. In the background was a far too familiar voice.

"He did it! He did it! Ryoma…I mean Echizen Ryoma has won the Charity Tennis Tournament. Yes! I knew you could do it, Ryoma, I knew you could!" Momoshiro shouted into his microphone.

"Momoshiro-san, please calm down…" A voice mumbled.

"…Overall the charity raised around 2 million dollars to go to cancer research…"

Tezuka nodded in approval. There was no doubt that Echizen would surpass the standards his father had set.

He pulled away his attention from the television and to the page that the photo album had been flipped to. Kikumaru hadn't bothered to close it.

One word took up both pages.  
**  
SMILE!**

Instead Tezuka frowned and closed the book. Out of the album came a slip of notebook paper. Tezuka grabbed it once it had landed on the ground.

_What was this…?_

* * *

**Kiyami: I'm trying to keep everything balanced. More characters will be making their appearance soon. The plot is now beginning. Uh...The chapters are going to be shorter then the amount I usually do for other stories. Usually I write 7 pages, but now the average is 4 pages for this series, but the lower standard means faster updating!**

**Please read and review!**


	3. The List

**Leather Bound Book**

**The List**

**Kiyami: So it begins. This is going to be one of my longer running series. I'm going to try update at least once a week. Thanks everyone for the feedback! Eh, short chapter. Sorry!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Prince of Tennis.

* * *

**

Tezuka looked at what was said on the piece of paper. It was a list. The title said "My Life's To Do's." Tezuka read on since his interest in it had sparked.

**My Life's To Do's**

_1. Keep on going to high school reunions until I'm old and crusty. _

_2. Pretend to be Kaidoh for a day._

_3. Pretend to be Atobe for a day._

_4. Pretend to be Eiji for a day._

_5. Be the best uncle ever._

_6. Make sure Yuuta lives a good life._

_7. Make sure Yumiko lives a good life._

_8. Buy parents a cottage on one of Hawaii's beaches._

_9. Play against Yuuta until he beats me._

_10. Check to see if Misaki's hair is naturally curly._

_11. Find out the purpose of Eiji's band-aid._

_12. Look through Inui's notebook on Kunimitsu. _

_13. Eat the spiciest thing in existence._

_14. Cover the walls of my home with my pictures._

_15. Travel around the world and see the most beautiful places in the world._

_16. Marry Kunimitsu during sakura season._

_17. Have a kid/start a family. _

_18. Beat Kunimitsu._

_19. Get Kunimitsu to show some emotions. I'm going to make him cry.-smile-_

_20. Make a difference in someone's life._

_21. Open up a botanical garden._

_22. Make a photo album of my dearest memories._

_23. Live long and healthy._

_24. Be remembered._

_25. Make sure Kunimitsu is always happy…and never sad._

He held the piece of paper before folding it gently in half. He got up from where he was sitting and headed for his bedroom. He guessed the list had been made recently. It was stuck to the thick paper next to a recent news article about tennis. He hadn't thought Fuji would care for him much after high school. Sure, they still stayed in touch, but Fuji had been with other people more often.

Tezuka had moved on. Why hadn't Fuji done the same?

* * *

Today was Sunday and Tezuka had the day off. He decided to visit Fuji's grave just for a moment. His mind had been on Fuji lately and maybe visiting him would stop the thoughts.

Tezuka approached the grave with a bouquet of flowers in hand. The cemetery where Fuji had been buried was out in the countryside. The same area Fuji had been before the car accident.

Fuji's grave was set in a nice spot. His entire family had gone through a lot of trouble to pick the perfect place. It was under a sakura tree, which was now in full bloom. The tombstone was made of white marble with Fuji's name clearly engraved on it.

Gently Tezuka set the bouquet of flowers on the grass that had barely started to grow. For a moment he did nothing, but look at the quiet grave.

Tezuka imagined Fuji crouching by the grave with his digital camera in hand. He would snap pictures of the scenery with the smile on his face. Maybe he'd point his camera in the direction of that bird overhead or admire the beauty of the sakura tree.

"Tezuka?"

He had been so lost in his thoughts that he never noticed the sound of someone walking up behind him. He turned around to see Fuji Yumiko standing there.

"Yumiko-san."

"No need to be so polite. You were Syuusuke's boyfriend after all." She smiled, a smile that resembled Fuji's. "So what are you doing here?"

Tezuka ignored that statement. He never considered it to be official. "I thought I might drop off some flowers."

"That's very sweet of you, Tezuka." They both went into silence.

Tezuka's cellphone broke the silence. He reached into his pocket and pulled out the silver electronic. While doing so a piece of paper fell out with it. He ignored it while answering his call. Yumiko reached down to pick it up, but had a hard time doing so. Her belly was round and large with pregnancy, but Fuji's death was not the only tragedy to her. The father had abandoned Yumiko.

"Yes? Mhm…Alright. Thanks." Tezuka put away his cellphone.

Yumiko carefully unfolded the piece of paper. Tezuka watched her doing so. He had probably grabbed the piece of paper when he was getting his cellphone. It took her only a minute to read through the entire list.

"You know even after high school Syuusuke loved you a lot." Her voice wavered. She dabbed at her eyes with the edge of her sleeve.

"Really?" Tezuka felt guilty. He had assumed Fuji would find love in other people.

"Yeah, he used to call me all the time when something happened to you. Neesan, Tezuka won the tournament! Neesan Tezuka defeated him! He was heartbroken when you had that injury though. When I saw him after you got hurt in the match I could tell he was in as much pain as you were. He cried so hard."

Tezuka nodded, not sure what to say about it.

"Sometimes I wish that I was the one who died. Syuusuke, was an amazing guy." Yumiko laughed softly while wiping away more tears. "Look at me getting all sentimental."

Silence reigned again. Even the birds had quieted down. The wind blew gently so it shook the sakura tree overhead.

"Tezuka, here." Yumiko handed him the piece of paper. "If you really cared about him then you should fulfill his life's wishes. Doing so will help you remember what an amazing guy he was. Please, Tezuka, do this for Syuusuke? It'd mean a lot for him and me."

Tezuka reread what had been written on the piece of paper. Some of the things that Fuji had wanted to do was absurd. Act like Atobe? Marry Kunimitsu? That would be impossible. He couldn't marry himself.

But this was Fuji. Fuji had always been there for Tezuka. He had been there when Tezuka was having problems with his left arm, he had been at every single tennis game Tezuka played as a pro tennis player. Fuji had been devoted.

"I'll do it. Only for Fuji." Tezuka reluctantly answered. Fuji had died too young with so much left undone. It would be his duty alone to complete what Fuji wanted.

"You're a wonderful man, Tezuka."

* * *

He returned home feeling as though he had just agreed to marrying a random stranger. His dignity and pride would surely be shattered if he ever completed this task. He had already agreed to it and he couldn't just go back on his word.

Fulfilling Fuji's dreams would surely make Yumiko happy. Despite all her teasing and giggling over their relationship Tezuka liked her. Yumiko was a good person, but not the luckiest.

Yumiko had announced her pregnancy several months before Fuji's death. She seemed so happy then. The father left her though when he realized the responsibilities of being a father. That hurt Yumiko a lot who had thought their love was genuine. Then Fuji died.

Through it all Yumiko stayed strong.

Now was the time for Tezuka to bring some happiness into Yumiko's life. That was the least he could do for Fuji. It was what he wanted.

* * *

Tezuka searched through his bookshelves until he found the one thing he needed right now. A book filled with phone numbers, addresses, and e-mail addresses. He couldn't do everything on Fuji's list by himself so he needed the help of other people. Certain people.

Wakato…Inui…Atobe. Just the people he needed.

Fuji had told him of Wakato from Jyosei. From the sounds of it he could be very helpful in helping Tezuka complete some of the tasks.

Inui, well Inui could help with lots of things, but there would most certainly be a price.

There was one thing Tezuka had in mind. This would need the most help and cooperation from the former regular members of the rival schools they faced as Seigaku in their earlier years. Fuji would always be remembered, without a doubt, if Tezuka could pull off what he had in mind.

Tezuka was determined. He would have to make sacrifices, but it was for a greater good.

To show to Fuji that he cared.

* * *

**Kiyami: So there will be some funny chapters. I'll give you a warning right now. A sad chapter will always come after a funny one.**

**It's probably fairly easy to guess which ones of the List will be completed with the mention of Wakato. Until the next chapter!**


	4. Wigs and Hair Curlers

**Leather Bound Book**

**Wigs and Hair Curlers  
**

**Kiyami: Slap me for this chapter if you want. It's just a filler so I can gather my thoughts for the really important chapter that's coming up. Personally I'm starting to question my sanity when I was writing that List.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Prince of Tennis because if I did then you'd see a lot of kissing going on.

* * *

**

_Dear Diary,_

_Today we faced Jyosei. I didn't get to play, but it was a lot of fun watching the games. I liked watching Singles 3. It was Kaidoh against a player named Wakato. It looked like a lot of fun pretending to be Kaidoh even though he got really angry. Ffssshuuu…_

_Ryoma got hurt during his match. I was really worried. Everyone was. I thought that Oishi was going to pass out or something. He probably worried the most._

_I wonder if Wakato can pretend to be like Yuuta. No! I wonder if he can pretend to be Kunimitsu! Oh, it sounds as if Yuuta's come home! _

_Yudan sezu ni ikou –smile-

* * *

_

"Hello? Sparkle, Sparkle Beauty, Wakato speaking." The former Jyosei regular cheerfully said into the phone.

"This is Tezuka Kunimitsu formerly of the Seishun Gakuen tennis club." Tezuka replied.

Wakato Hiroshi had pursued a career as a hair stylist. After he had gained experience and enough money Wakato opened up his own business. His style was deprived from already existing hairstyles that he mixed and matched with the people who came in. Every Friday was Change Over! Day where Wakato pretended to be someone for the entire day. Unfortunately, or fortunately for Tezuka, today was only Monday.

A smile formed on Wakato's face. He had never personally met the guy, but he had heard a lot about him. Wakato always wanted to play against Tezuka, but the opportunity never arose. He was always prepared for that match that never came. A small pile of tapes of Tezuka had formed in a corner of his room when he was in Jyosei. Tezuka was strong enough to be admired by Wakato, but Wakato never got the chance to use Tezuka's style of play in a real game.

"So what is that you would like, Tezuka? Haircut, manicure, pedicure, full body make over? I think I'll suggest the Kajimoto look to you." Wakato smoothly said with practiced ease. He held onto the phone while pressing the phone against his head with his shoulder. He needed both hands to paint his nails with that nice shade of red Youhei had suggested.

There was a long silence. Wakato could hear Tezuka moving uncomfortably in his chair while shuffling some papers around. Wakato was starting to miss his Jyosei days a lot. Captains were so fun to interact with.

"No, but I'm requesting your help," Tezuka replied firmly.

"That's a shame. So Tezuka what can I do for you?" Wakato blew on his nails gently. He leaned back in the black, leather chair in his office.

"I had been told that you used to specialize in imitating other people. I am in need of your help." Tezuka frowned when he finished his sentence. No turning back now.

"Oh is that so?" Wakato chuckled lightly at the idea. Tezuka was supposed to be some stoic, cardboard captain, right? "Who do you have in mind? Do I know him or her?"

"You probably do know _them_. Two of them were on Seigaku and the other was on Hyotei. Kikumaru Eiji, Kaidoh Kaoru, and Atobe Keigo. Those are the people I _need_ to imitate." Tezuka heavily emphasized the 'need.' He didn't want Wakato to think that Tezuka was doing this for fun.

"Oh that bouncy fellow who played against Oota and Daichi. That weirdo, Kaidoh, I played against." Wakato mumbled to reassure himself and Tezuka that his memory was perfectly fine. "Ah Atobe. You picked a nice person to imitate, Tezuka. Just the right person to come to too. I've been copying Atobe's style for the last several months."

By style Wakato meant style in fashion. Atobe Keigo went from athlete to supermodel.

"When can I come to your…Sparkle, Sparkle Beauty?" Tezuka sighed.

"Tomorrow's fine. Come in any time. I'll be waiting!" Wakato ended the call by smacking his glossy lips, which created a kissing sound.

Tezuka turned off the phone. He sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose. He just wanted to take an aspirin, lie down, and hope that everything would be normal when he wakes up. Fuji would be alive and Tezuka would be back to his boring lifestyle.

But Fuji was dead.

* * *

On the outside Sparkle, Sparkle Beauty attracted the eyes of many. It was bright pink in color that contrasted sharply against the red brick of the building to the right and the beige to the left. Large, white letters announced the name of the place. 

Clear windows showed what was going on inside the beauty parlor. A neat line of black, leather chairs faced a mirror stretching along the wall. People, mostly women, sat in the chairs as stylists dressed in a black uniform worked on them. To the right was a woman sitting behind a desk. She was helping a pair of ladies set up their next visit. Two teenaged boys swept the trimmed pieces of hair off the ground. They laughed and joked with each other about the usual things.

On the walls were posters of models showing off their silky locks. Some of them were recognizable such as the Tanaka twins. A photographer for a fashion magazine discovered the _unit_ one day. He was able to convince the twins to start a modeling career together. A lot of people thought the idea of identical twins posing together in matching outfits as cute.

Tezuka pushed open the glass door. A silver bell rang merrily to announce the arrival of Tezuka. The first thing he did was go to the lady behind the desk.

"May I help you?" She asked.

"I'd like to see Wakato Hiroshi."

"Oh! You must be Tezuka-san! Everyone, he's Tezuka-san!" The woman stood up and pointed at Tezuka. Everyone, including the hair stylists, customers, and the two boys who swept the hair from the ground, looked towards Tezuka.

They stared for a moment before turning back to whatever they were doing. They murmured about things and some glanced back.

"You can go to him through that door over there." The woman directed Tezuka to a door besides her desk.

Tezuka looked at the people in the room before turning the doorknob of the door.

This was it.

* * *

Tezuka entered the room. It was brightly lit. There were shelves of wigs against the wall and an open closet door led to a room filled with all sorts of strange costumes. A wooden desk was in the middle with a mirror hanging behind the comfortable chair. 

"Tezuka! Glad you could make it. Take a seat." Wakato joyfully ordered as he appeared out of the closet wearing a ridiculous blue feather boa around his neck.

Tezuka sat down on the plush chair in front of the desk. He felt uncomfortable in the gaudy surroundings.

"Well, do you remember the request I made yesterday?" Tezuka asked.

"Of course I do! I'm going to have so much fun!" Wakato squealed. Tezuka started to question himself whether this was really a good idea.

"If you don't mind, I'm short on time today. I can spare one hour, two at the most." There were things to be done elsewhere.

"That's fine, that's fine. I spent all night looking at my old school videos. I've been preparing for your visit ever since you called!" Wakato disappeared under his desk and reappeared from beneath it. He placed a cardboard box on top of his desk. "Am I not great?"

Wakato opened the box to reveal an assortment of items. Slowly, carefully, he took out the items and placed them on his desk. Tezuka watched as three plastic heads modeled wigs. The first one had a green bandana on it on top of a black wig made to look like Kaidoh's hair. The middle one resembled Kikumaru's and the third was Atobe's hair.

"You didn't have to go through the trouble of making these wigs for me." Tezuka said.

"Oh I didn't make them for you. I made them for myself a long time ago." Wakato pointed to the shelves with the wigs. Tezuka could see Echizen's cap, Mizuki's hair with slight curls everywhere, Kamio's hair with the bangs pushed to one side, and others like…

Like Fuji's hair, soft, sweet-smelling, silky…

"…Got me interested into costuming so I decided to dress up as some of the tennis players I saw when we were young. Well, let's get started then!" Wakato had been talking while Tezuka was looking at the wigs.

Tezuka gulped nervously, the horror was just waiting to begin. Sometimes it felt as though Fuji had created this list just for Tezuka to complete.

* * *

For the next hour Wakato showed videos and notes on the little habits of the three people. He taught Tezuka Kikumaru's way of speaking, Kaidoh's slouching walk, and Atobe's habits such as ending his sentences with the usual "Naa, Kabaji?" 

"Repeat after me, hoi hoi!"

"Hoi. Hoi." Tezuka repeated with as much enthusiasm he could muster, which wasn't a lot.

"Snap you fingers then!" Wakato snapped his and created a sharp, loud sound. Tezuka tried and his was barely audible.

"Alright, hiss, glare, grunt. Try it."

"Ffshh…" Tezuka managed to do the glare and the grunt. Kaidoh was the easiest person to mimic for Tezuka.

"Feeling! Feeling!" Wakato shouted hoping that his encouragement would get some emotion out of Tezuka.

It continued on like that until their time ran out.

* * *

"That was exhausting." Wakato muttered as he lounged back lazily in his comfy chair. His voice was muffled by the white cap covering his face. 

"I'm terribly sorry for burdening you with today." Tezuka said feeling just as exhausted as Wakato.

"It's fine, it's fine. It makes up for not facing you in a real tennis match. A shame our youth has departed." Wakato sighed dramatically. "Anyway, you better send me pictures when you're pretending to be them. A tape would be nice, but I'm not too demanding."

"I'll send them to you as soon as they are developed." It was the least he could do for Wakato who had spent an entire day trying to teach him how to mimic people. "Oh, Wakato-san?"

"Yes?" Wakato removed the white cap.

"I was wondering whether you still play tennis or whether you're willing to start again." Tezuka asked.

"Haven't given up on it yet. I play with Kajimoto all the time. Why?" Actually he spent a generous amount of time with Kajimoto who worked nearby as a teacher.

"I can't say. I'm hoping to start something, but I'm not sure whether it will happen. Anyway, I have to go now. Thank you for helping me out." Tezuka stood up from his chair and gratefully took the box with the items Wakato had generously given to him.

"I want to be the first to know about this thing then. You owe me." Wakato politely opened the door for Tezuka.

Tezuka nodded and left with the box in hand.

* * *

_Dear Diary,_

_Today I met and faced that bastard Mi-something. I hate him for intentionally letting Yuuta hurt himself. I don't know what Yuuta sees in him. He looks like a fake. I bet his hair isn't naturally like that. I want Yuuta back here, but I guess it's better for him to be there. He improved a lot since I last saw him play. I can't wait for the day where we'll face off in a spectacular match when his skills are on the same level as me!

* * *

_

"Hajime, why don't you get dressed now? Tezuka-san's coming." Yuuta asked.

"Nfu, what's wrong with the way I am now?" Mizuki asked.

The former St. Rudolph manager sat on a stool by a table. He wore a white T-shirt with his purple pajama pants that had ducks all over them. On top of that he had on his purple bathrobe and white fuzzy slippers. In front of Mizuki were a laptop and a mug of coffee.

"It's noon now and you haven't even gotten dressed."

"I'm working now, Yuuta-chan. I'll change when I feel like it, alright?"

"Fine." Yuuta sighed in defeat.

Mizuki worked at home a lot now. He was a romance novelist and claimed the kitchen was the only suitable environment he could work in. He was popular for his unique love stories that often portrayed men together.

Yuuta on the other hand worked as a detective. Surprisingly he was paired with a former tennis player. Hiyoshi of Hyotei was his partner. They got along fairly well with the same interests that they held.

The doorbell rang and Yuuta checked to see if everything was in order in their home. He went to the entrance of their house and opened it for Tezuka. Yuuta led Tezuka inside where coffee and cookies awaited them.

"Ah Tezuka-kun, nfu, how nice to see you." Mizuki said while curling a lock of hair around a slender finger.

"Likewise." Tezuka replied.

Yuuta and Tezuka took a seat in the living room. Mizuki stayed in the kitchen where he rapidly typed with the sudden inspiration that came. Mizuki mumbled softly to himself as he put his ideas into words.

"I'll join you soon." Mizuki said loudly.

"So Tezuka-san what brings you?" Yuuta asked before biting into a chocolate chip cookie Mizuki personally made.

"Well, you know how you gave me those photo albums and diaries of Fuji?" Tezuka sipped the hot coffee that was sweetened by the sugar and cream.

"Yeah…I do." Yuuta looked down when the thought of his aniki returned to him.

"I found this while going through it." Tezuka pulled out the List and gave it to Yuuta.

Yuuta read through it. "I never knew aniki had so many strange wishes." He muttered.

"I was wondering if you could help me on some of them. Your sister requested that I complete this list for Fuji. I'd be grateful if you could assist me on several of the wishes. Particularly numbers nine and ten." Tezuka pointed to the ones he mentioned.

"Did you say something about me, Tezuka-kun?" Mizuki looked up from his laptop with his eyes on Tezuka.

"It's nothing, Hajime!" Yuuta gave the List back to Tezuka and stood up. "Hajime curls his hair every morning. It's fake." He offered.

"Yuuta-chan!" Mizuki stood up so quickly the stool feel over.

"Well, it's the truth, right? You spend so much time in the bathroom every morning that I'm always late for work. I have proof too!" Yuuta disappeared into the bathroom and came back with supplies for the hair in his arms. Hair curlers were among them. "See? You're hair is straight, Hajime. I see it every morning when I wake up."

"Nfu, Yuuta-chan?" Mizuki's voice took on a dangerous tone.

"What?" Yuuta realized his grave mistake.

"I hope you like the couch." Mizuki said softly. "Nfu." He picked up the stool and walked over to Yuuta. He took the hair styling supplies from him. "You'll be sleeping on it for the next month."

Tezuka coughed discreetly into his hand. Yuuta sighed and sat back down by the table. "I'm sorry for causing that." Tezuka apologized.

"It's alright. Hajime gets abusive sometimes in his sleep." Yuuta shuddered at the memory when Mizuki nearly suffocated him by wrapping his arms so tightly around his neck. There were other painful memories like when Mizuki kicked or stole Yuuta's half of the comforter. "Anyway, I'll be glad to do number nine. I haven't played much tennis lately, but I haven't forgotten everything. Who will I play since aniki is dead?"

"You'll play against me." Yuuta nodded at this response.

"When should we start?"

Tezuka opened his mouth to reply, but then the phone started to ring.

"Please excuse me for a moment. The call may be important." Yuuta got up. He was waiting for a call from Hiyoshi. They were working on an important case at the moment and Hiyoshi had volunteered to do some researching in his free time.

"Hello?" Yuuta answered the ringing phone. He listened to the voice on the other end. Yuuta's eyes went wide. He set down the phone.

"Hajime! Hurry and get ready! Neesan just got rushed into the hospital! She's going into labor!" Yuuta shouted while running into their bedroom to retrieve a suitcase Yumiko left with them just in case she couldn't bring her own items personally.

"Seriously? Isn't it too early?" Mizuki stuck his head out the bathroom.

"No, they just called." Yuuta said.

Mizuki rushed out of the bathroom and went to go change into something more suitable for going outside. Tezuka got up and helpfully put away the cups of coffee and the cookies.

"I'm sorry, Tezuka-san, but I'll have to make your visit short. Of all the times." Yuuta muttered as he pulled on his jacket.

"It's alright, I'll go with you." Tezuka grabbed his things and left to go start the car.

* * *

"Yuuta-chan, will Yumiko be alright? A month too early." Mizuki muttered nervously. Mizuki had grown quite close to Yumiko after Yuuta and he started to live together. 

"I don't know, I don't know." Yuuta held his cellphone to his ear while he waited for his parents to pick up the phone.

"I hope they'll be alright."

* * *

**Kiyami: Yes! Done! …I hate this chapter. Anyway the next chapter will be up shortly! I'm working on it immediately.**

**Next chapter: Lost Futures**


	5. Lost Futures

**Leather Bound Book**

**Lost Futures**

**Kiyami: I know some people have been wondering about the first journal entry I showed in the beginning. I liked how the beginning of this chapter turned out. I'm content with this chapter. I've been thinking of this for the longest time. Sorry, Fuji!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Prince of Tennis. The usual.

* * *

**

Fuji hummed to the sorrowful song drifting out of his speakers. Even though Fuji's heart wrenched every time he heard this song, nothing could sadden Fuji on this day.

The day started out hot and humid and remained like that. Fuji was glad his car came with an air conditioner. He positioned his face to receive the full icy blast of cold air.

It was his first day off in weeks. He would have liked to meet with Tezuka, but knew how busy he was lately. He would have called Eiji to join him, but with the sudden heat wave a long list of customers wanted their dogs' fur cut.

So he came out here alone. Fuji didn't mind though because sometimes it was best to do this alone.

The spot where he wanted to be at came into view after making a long trip up the mountain. The endless swirling around the mountain tired Fuji. He was relieved to the see the spot he had picked.

The sleek blue car stopped by a group of trees. Fuji grabbed his digital camera and stepped out of his car. For several long moments he stood to take in the lovely smell of the place.

Birds sang merrily hoping to find their love somewhere in the trees. Bees buzzed around blooming wildflowers. Squirrels played silly games of chase with each other. They dashed back and forth on the ground and sometimes taking the game to dangerous stakes by playing on the branches.

The wind blew gently causing a soft rustling in the trees. The breeze cooled Fuji who was sweating from the heat. He sighed contently and turned the camera on. He would finally be able to finish his private project.

It was a project that sprouted from looking at a magazine filled with colorful images of the countryside. Fuji was so awed by the pictures that he wanted to make a photo album of the beautiful scenery.

Life was too wonderful not to be enjoyed.

* * *

Fuji snapped picture after picture. He continued to take pictures until his camera could take no more. When that happened he sat beneath an old oak tree and reviewed the pictures. He smiled at each photo.

Fuji ate lunch out there that he had made himself. Like always it was very spicy, but Fuji could handle it easily.

After his lonely meal he merely sat there. His blue eyes stared at the surroundings that were so different from the metal and concrete his eyes were accustomed to seeing.

"One day, Kunimitsu, I'm going to bring you out here." Fuji promised to himself. He smiled and closed his eyes. He felt rather sleepy from the lovely day. The warmth of the air, the sweet melodies of birds, and the comforting breeze lulled him to sleep.

* * *

Wet droplets splashed onto his face. It snapped Fuji out of his slumber. Dark clouds rumbled overhead. They were ominous signs of the heavy rain that would soon come.

Fuji gathered his belongings and went back into his car. He checked the time and discovered he would be late to the sports event he was supposed to be at with Momo.

The car roared into life and began its descent towards the bottom of the mountain.

* * *

Fuji could barely make out anything through the heavy rain. He hoped it would stop soon. Bright lights cut through the eerie darkness. Wipers shoved the thick droplets away from the windshield.

The car moved at a moderate pace. Fuji stepped on the gas pedal a little harder. He was going to be really late and probably miss most of the basketball game. His boss would surely demote him if he did. It was too important.

Water splashed in all directions. Fuji's car shook with the potholes everywhere. He sat hunched over the steering wheel with his eyes squinting to see what was coming.

Sighing he reached into his pocket and took out a small velvety case. He kissed it for good luck. A finger opened it to reveal a glimmering ring. Fuji smiled. The ring reassured Fuji. It was a wedding ring for Tezuka and even though he hadn't seen it yet, the ring made Fuji feel as though the former Seigaku captain was sitting there right next to him.

Suddenly his car shook. The slick ground forced the car to lose control. Fuji slammed on the brake to stop the movement, but it was too much. The front of the car smashed into the thick metal that was supposed to prevent cars from veering off course.

Fuji's eyes opened as he felt the car push past the metal protector. For a small moment he had the feeling of carefree joy that birds felt with their wings spread wide. The blue car flew before turning into a near vertical angle. It nose-dived towards the ground, which was a long way down.

Nature triumphed over the man made contraption as the car collided into a strong deciduous tree. The blue painted metal crushed even more and the windshield shattered. Then the car fell backwards and was further destroyed by the impact of hitting the ground.

It all happened so fast that Fuji couldn't scream. His mouth was opened wide, but no sound could be forced through his lips. The air bag offered no help. It deployed too late, the fault of the producers of the car. By the time it did inflate Fuji was dead.

He had died almost instantly when the car finally reached the ground. He was granted no special last words like in Hollywood movies for the forest creatures to hear. His body just jerked forward, the seatbelt restraining him, and died.

His limp hand still clutched the case of the wedding ring, but the ring was gone. It fell out during the descent towards the ground. Blood started to flow from Fuji's broken body. His head rested on the air bag like a pillow with his hair falling over his broken face. Blood began to drip from the edges of his eyes and the corner of his mouth. It gave the impression of him crying.

Crying that he would never put the lost wedding ring to use. That Tezuka would never wear it not knowing that it was meant for him.

Crying for his lost future.

* * *

There were many factors that played into Fuji's death. Fuji was just the unluckiest person for it could have happened to anyone.

For one the road sign that signaled a sudden sharp turn in the road was gone. A group of boys had taken the sign to hang in their room as a sign of their delinquency.

With the rain so hard Fuji couldn't make out much of the land before him. It was blurred by the torrent of water that ended fifteen minutes after Fuji's death. The clouds that so thickly covered the skies and the late time also gave Fuji a hard time in seeing what was ahead. The headlights could only cover a limited amount of distance.

If Fuji had waited a little longer to wake up he might have survived. Or if he woke up just thirty minutes before he might have been snapping pictures of sweaty basketball players.

His life could have been spared if his speed was not so high. If his he was going slower and being more careful he could have lived on to hear the wedding bells he sorely desired. If only he hadn't been rushing to get to the sports event or moving so quickly.

If the officials who supervised the road did their jobs he might have survived. If the metal had been replaced regularly then it might not have given way so easily. If the metal hadn't been so old and rusted then it might have put up more of a fight in preventing his car from going over the edge. If only the metal had been replaced every now and then like the laws decreed.

Or if the producers of the car he drove in were more careful in their design. If they hadn't been in such a rush to get money then Fuji's chance of survival might have been larger. If they only had placed some caring devotion to create the best car for every customer like they advertised.

The potholes played into it too. The holes littering the old road didn't make Fuji's drive down the mountain any easier.

If Fuji had delayed the day until tomorrow when it was bright and sunny he could have lived. If only he waited one more day when Tezuka was no longer busy and had a day off. If he had waited for Eiji to finish with the sudden rush of pet owners.

There were so many different outcomes. Fuji could have lived if only some things weren't overlooked. So many if's that could have spared the unfortunate end of a bright, young, and happy man.

If only it hadn't ended like this.

* * *

Mizuki, Yuuta, and Tezuka ran into the hospital. Yuuta talked to the woman and dashed off down one of the hallways. Mizuki and Tezuka followed. The blue suitcase was left behind in the car so they could run unburdened to see the status of Yumiko.

The nurses permitted Yuuta to move on since he was family. They ushered Mizuki and Tezuka into a waiting to worry for Yumiko.

"Mizuki-san." Tezuka offered a cup of coffee to the black haired man.

"Thank you, Tezuka-kun." He accepted the coffee. He blew on the surface of the liquid then sipped it hesitantly. The hot liquid burnt his tongue, but he didn't care much.

Mizuki was rather fond of Yumiko. She was a fan of his romance novels and often helped him when he got into writers' block. Together they gossiped and talked about everyday things. Anyway she was an endless source of stories about Fuji and Yuuta as little kids.

Tezuka sat down next to Mizuki. In his hand was a similar cup of coffee. It tasted bitter and wasn't a fresh pot. He put it down on the table because it seemed rather torturous to continue drinking.

Fuji probably wouldn't mind though. He had strange taste buds. He probably would have been able to stand the taste and possibly enjoy it to the fullest.

That was the type of person Fuji was. He enjoyed everything. He brought out the potential in things. Even though he was quite possibly the oddest man you could ever meet, besides Inui, he always could bring a smile to a person's face.

Except for Tezuka.

"Tezuka-kun?" Mizuki touched his shoulder lightly.

"Hm?" Tezuka looked towards Mizuki.

"Are you alright?" He looked concerned.

Yuuta's influence on Mizuki was evident. Mizuki had matured into a caring man since his St. Rudolph days. He was more considerate of other people and no longer did things just for himself. Maybe it was in the Fuji blood to unknowingly help the surrounding people.

"Yes, I am. Thank you for asking."

An awkward silence hung in the air. Mizuki grabbed one of the aging magazines off the table and started to flip through it. Tezuka sat there thinking. He would have to go see Atobe someday soon.

He pulled out the list and looked at it. Tezuka grabbed one of the pens off the tables. In one smooth motion he crossed out number ten. Mizuki looked up from his magazine to see the list.

"What's this?" Mizuki asked while taking the piece of paper from Tezuka's hand.

His eyes moved down the paper as he rapidly read through it. He handed it silently back to Tezuka while twitching. "I can't believe…Fuji-kun…Wrote my name wrong." Mizuki sniffed.

* * *

_They sat together by the river. Their bags were placed in a pile next to them._

_The sky darkened as sunset approached. Fuji smiled and rested his head on Tezuka's shoulder. He moved in closer while placing Tezuka's left hand into his own. His fingertip traced patterns on the callused palm. Tezuka flinched from the light tickling._

"_Go ahead, Kunimitsu, laugh." Fuji said._

"_Fuji." Tezuka replied warningly._

"_I won't tell anyone if you laugh. I promise." Fuji looked up to Tezuka. "Please? I want to hear your laughter."_

_Tezuka shook his head pulled away from Fuji's gentle grasp. Fuji sighed softly. "Your arm's healed now. I feel selfish. I don't want your arm to be healed." Fuji admitted._

_Tezuka looked at Fuji. Fuji stared at the sky, his eyes following the clouds' sluggish movements. "You'll go away won't you? You'll keep on playing tennis. Kunimitsu, you'll get so good that your name will be heard everywhere." Tezuka didn't know how to reply to this._

"_I think I'm too greedy. I don't want you to become famous. Then the world will know you. Other people will want you and you won't be just mine anymore." He turned his gaze towards Tezuka. "When you become famous, you'll leave me behind won't you?"_

"_No, Fuji, I won't." Tezuka reassured softly._

"_Are you sure? I may be good in tennis, but I doubt I'll make it. Only special players like you and Ryoma will make it. Anyway after high school we'll all be separated. Everyone will go his or her separate ways. Personally I don't want that day to come. I'm selfish…I don't want this year to end." _

"_I don't want this year to end either." Tezuka said while looking down at Fuji._

"_Promise we'll stay in touch no matter how famous you get?" Fuji sat up._

"_I'm not like Atobe." Tezuka muttered. He nodded since Fuji would never leave him alone if he didn't. "I promise."_

_Fuji placed his hands on Tezuka's shoulders. He leaned forward until their lips met. They stayed like that for several seconds before Tezuka pulled away. Fuji smiled lovingly._

"_What was that for?" Tezuka asked while wiping his lips with the back of his hand._

"_To seal the promise. It has to be something important if you want to remember it." Fuji explained. His smile widened. "That was my first kiss you know."_

_They looked at each other quietly. _

"_Remember our promise."

* * *

_

"Tezuka-kun! Wake up, Tezuka-kun!" Mizuki shook Tezuka.

Tezuka opened his eyes to see the dimly lit waiting room. He looked at Mizuki whose face showed distress. It had only been a dream. Only a mere memory transformed into a dream.

"Yuuta-chan just told me! Yumiko-chan just had her babies." Mizuki announced.

"Babies?" Tezuka noted the plural usage.

"Twins." Mizuki said.

"Are they alright?" Tezuka stood up.

Mizuki chewed on his thumbnail and shook his head. "They both have a fever. The boy's doing fine, but the girl's fever is really high. I don't think she'll make it through."

"How's Yumiko?"

"She's okay. Yuuta-chan told me that she's asleep. We can't see her now though. We have to wait." Mizuki sat down on his seat with a huff.

Tezuka looked up at the calendar across the room.

June seventeenth.

* * *

They waited a long time before they got the okay to go visit Yumiko.

Mizuki and Tezuka entered the hospital room. Yumiko smiled feebly from her spot. "You came." She commented softly.

"Of course we did, Yumiko-chan. Are you alright?" Mizuki pulled up a worn chair next to her bed. He grabbed her pale hands and squeezed them reassuringly.

"A little tired, but fine." Yumiko pulled on the white covers. She felt cold in this sterile environment.

"What are their names?" Mizuki asked.

"I was considering named the girl Umi. Fuji Umi, it's easy to say isn't it? It rhymes too." Yumiko looked at the ceiling. "I think I'll name my son Ryusuke. It sounds like Syusuke doesn't it? But Ryusuke reminds me a lot of Syusuke. He barely cried unlike Umi. He has blue eyes too." Yumiko looked at Tezuka. "I'm glad that I know so many nice people. They're going to grow up to be lovely children with people like you around."

* * *

"Yumiko-san?" A nurse knocked on the door before entering. "Ano, I have some news for you." The young nurse fidgeted with her sleeves.

"What is it? Umi? Ryusuke?" Yumiko sat up instantly, her eyes wide with fear.

"Your daughter…She didn't make it. She…died, but your son! Your son is alive and well." The nurse moved uncomfortably. She stared at the tiled floors being unable to stand the look in Yumiko's eyes.

Tears swelled in Yumiko's eyes. Mizuki and Yuuta got up to comfort the single mother. She wept quietly in her bed. Tezuka watched from his seat. This all seemed so unreal.

Another life lost?

Another lost future?

* * *

**Kiyami: June seventeenth is also the birthday of another person related to the Prince of Tennis. I wonder if anyone knows who it is.**


End file.
